In 1961, Troy
Shondell's "This Time (We're Really Breaking Up)" rode the charts for four
months. Within the first week of the single's release, lovers of his swamp pop
sound snatched up 10,000 copies of the record. In a single year, sales rose to
more than three million copies. Shondell's influence rippled through the young
rock & roll community. Up-and-coming bands named themselves after him. Tommy
James, at the time a guitarist in Michigan who would later score with "I Think
We're Alone Now" and "Mony Mony," had the Shondells. In Illinois, Jim Peterik,
later known for Survivor and the Ides of March, dubbed his group the same.
Recording for La Louisianne, Warren Storm and
Rod Bernard also tipped their hat to
Shondell when they named their act after him. But the million-seller was not
Shondell's first shot at stardom. An earlier attempt was cut short in 1960 on
Halloween when a heart attack killed his father and brought Shondell home to
help his mother run the family business. Until then, he'd been making steady
headway on a musical career that started while he was still a teenager in Fort
Wayne, IN. The label Smash released his first single, "My Hero," which he
recorded as Gary Shelton, his real name. The Mercury Records release "Kissin' at
the Drive-In" came out the following year.
Shondell seemed to be on his way, at least in the Midwest. Chicago's Brass Rail,
a major nightspot that usually hosted jazz and blues acts, brought Shelton in
for its first foray into rock & roll. The successful gig stretched to 16 weeks.
A pair of independent releases, "The Trance" and "Goodbye Little Darlin'," came
next. By 1959, the singer opened shows on a tour called Shower of Stars for such
headliners as Chuck Berry, the Impalas,
Frankie Ford,
Frankie Avalon, and
the Skyliners.
Shondell's father taught him how to handle a trumpet when Shondell was four
years old. Four years later, he introduced his son to the piano. Later in life,
he looked after his son's musical interests. The singer cites his dad as a major
influence, along with Little Richard,
Elvis Presley, and
Buddy Holly. A song Shelton wrote about
his father's passing, "Still Loving You," became a hit in country music circles
when it was recorded by Bob Luman.
In 2001, Shondell was still performing at nostalgia shows and other events. From
his home in Nashville, he also composes and produces. Along with
Jimmy Clanton,
Ronnie Dove, and
Ray Peterson, he is a member of the
Masters of Rock 'n' Roll.

THIS TIME - (Troy SHONDELL) -
Island In The Sky / Just Because / Some People Never Learn / I Don't Know /
Tears From An Angel / This Time / I've Got A Woman / Girl After Girl / Gone
/ No Fool Like An Old Fool

THE TRANCE - (Troy SHONDELL) - Trance /
This Time / Yours Til I Die / Goodbye Little Darlin Goodbye / Stop The World
/ Gone / Girl After Girl / Great Lover / Honey Bee / Till The End Of The
Line / Some People Never Learn / Just Because / Walking In A Memory /
Thinkin' / Like A Movie / Still Loving You / Kissin' At The Drive-In / I've
Got It / Rugged Ralph The Rapid Rabbit Runner / Rip It Up / I've Got A Woman
/ Hey There Little Miss Tease / Island In The Sky / I Don't Know / Tears
From An Angel / Glider / Here It Comes Again / A Rose And A Baby Ruth / Na
Ne No

THIS TIME - THE VERY BEST OF TROY SHONDELL -
This Time / I Got A Woman / Gone / Na-Ne-No / The Glider / Girl After
Girl / Just Because / Tears From An Angel / Island In The Sky / Some People
Never Learn / I Don't Know / No Fool Like An Old Fool / Thinkin' / Little
Miss Tease / Trouble

THE MANY SIDES OF TROY SHONDELL - This
Time / I Got A Woman / Gone / Na-Ne-No / The Glider / Girl After Girl / Just
Because / Tears From An Angel / Island In The Sky / Some People Never Learn
/ I Don't Know / No Fool Like An Old Fool / Thinkin' / Little Miss Tease /
Trouble

200?

CD ? (US)

THE ROOTS OF ROCK & ROLL - (Troy SHONDELL)
- Hello Josephine / Rip It Up / This Should Go On Forever / Just A Dream
/ Just Because You Can't Catch Me / Still Loving You / No Fool Like An Old
Fool / New Orleans / Oh Donna / I Wander Whos Kissing Her Now / Slow Down /
Tragedy / No One Knows / Love Stuff / Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye / A Rose
& A Baby Ruth / Lovin Arms / Smokin' / Goodnight My Love / Mony Mony / This
Time "Were Really Breaking Up"